I joined a gym a couple of months ago… a Planet Fitness, because they’re pretty inexpensive and because I want to get rid of this extra fat around my belly. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s there and I can feel it and I am not as flexible as I once was.

So far, I have found it pretty difficult to build up enough stamina on the elliptical… so, I use it for a few tenths of a mile and then I switch to the treadmill. For some reason, the elliptical does not give me my heart rate, but the treadmill does. On the treadmill, I can get in about a mile and a half in about 30 minutes, though I would like to do it faster than that. Sometimes, I use the incline, too.

Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time being anemic awhile back and that took a toll on my stamina. So… I’m working to get it back. On the treadmill, I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth for a longer period of time and that keeps my heart rate at a pretty low level. Of course, I am old enough that I really don’t want to over-work it.

Last week, I tried the stationary bike and traveled about 7 miles on that, but I did not burn very many calories… the elliptical seems to be the key to firming up around the core and burning more calories.

In the meantime, I quit using the elevator on my walk to work and started taking two flights of stairs in one building. However, when I get to my building, I use the elevator, since my office is on the 7th floor, but during the day, I walk up and down a few flights of stairs, in order to get some definition in my calves. One of my friends at work, said that her legs look the way they do, because she uses the elliptical. She’s also using a Shake Weight on her arms. I bought one of those, too, but have not used it enough to get really firm arms yet.

And I’m finding it difficult to give up extra calories, especially early in the day when I am the hungriest. Later on, I don’t need as many calories, but for breakfast and lunch I am usually famished! Perhaps I should eat some eggs in the morning. They might hold me until lunch time. I should probably start eating more salads, but I really prefer my vegetables cooked.

How do the rest of you manage to get rid of extra fat? Or, do you have some other goal for self-improvement? We could check in here in the threads each week with each other and see how we are all doing…

After my tumble down the stairs this winter & consequent inability to get outside until the weather improved, I’m in worse condition than I’ve been in my life.

Now I’m getting back in shape very slowly bc I get so tired whenever I do anything slightly strenuous, like yesterday I planted my herb seedlings & had to sleep 10 hours last night & today might be a “lost day.”

But it is what it is, and I just have to do what I can. No rushing it.

I lost about 80 pounds by walking and hula hooping. I also did regular calisthenics daily. It took a long time to build stamina and to get to a point at which I could work out without fear of a stroke or heart attack. Let’s face it, none of us are as young as we once were. These days I ride my bike and try to do between 25 and 30 miles in an hour, though with my new job, I don’t get to work out as often as I used to. I never joined a gym though. Too much expense to justify.

I dropped two notches on my belt by reducing my portion size. Instead of 2 packets of oatmeal, I now eat one at a time. Instead of a full can of soup, I only eat half at a time, with tofu mixed in. I reduced the portion size of every item I eat, added celery to most evening meals, and I didn’t give up one thing that I enjoyed eating. And I also didn’t add any additional exercise.

Good Saturday Morning, KarenM
What? We’re supposed to get rid of our fat? Wait, no that’s got to be wrong. I love my belly.
I’ve gotten to a Whatever place with my body. But, I am looking forward to it being warm enough to go swimming. That’s a nice and relaxing work out.
I do have to say that it’s only been a couple of weeks of working upstairs in admin at a desk instead of running around the food warehouse, and already I can feel the difference. Bad. I ran up and down the stairs yesterday and I could feel the strain. Not good.

think long term and be good to yourself…kinda like average Americans taking back the country; the weight didn’t come on over night and you will not lose it over night; the corruption didn’t happen over night and taking back the country will not happen over night..

I don’t have one but the work our room at the apartments where I live does. I use that one. And eCAHN.: It took a good couple of years before I could get to that point but I won’t deceive you. It’s pretty flat locally and I just ride around a large block in circles. I ride much slower when I’m riding for pleasure. The trick is to get your heart rate up and keep it up for a bit.

But, you have a job now, right? And, besides, if you have access to a work out room, it’s like having your own gym, isn’t it?
Speaking of jobs, I had an intersting experience yesterday. I had seen an ad on craigslist for Extra casting and got an appointment. It was in Hollywood and wow, what an eclectic group was there. There was a tall Russian woman, young, wild outfit, the make up, the hair. The casting agent came out as was asking her if she spoke English. Head shake. She said if you can’t understand what I saying, how will you understand the director. They said to dress casual, so I wore slacks, low heels, nice little top with a sweater. I was the most dressed up person there, other than the staff. A couple girls showed up in raggy short shorts, teeny tank tops. Well. I guess casual can be relative. Funny, though, the other people who were auditioning kept asking me questions, like I worked there. Ha.

Cool. We have a stationary bike, but it’s in the garage now. It was in the livingroom, but it’s so ugly and was taking up too much space. Remember when you and I were talking about being kluzty and walking into stuff? That’s when I got rid of some of the LR stuff. I need space, man.

Good morning everyone from my iPad in Indianapolis! As most of those who read my comments know, I am an avid bicycle rider – I don’t say ‘cyclist’ because that conjures images of those Lance Armstrong types with the spandex and the racing bikes. (I do wear a helmet always, and bike shorts and gloves.) I don’t get anywhere near Margaret’s pace, more like 10 – 12 mph, but I’ve ridden 1,000 miles the last two “summers” (summer loosely defined as late April – early Nov, as weather permits). I took up the bike after knee replacement 5+ years ago, and I am in excellent shape for my ripe old age, but still a bit thick in the middle. Heredity and being 68 years old is partly to blame for the midsection flab.

Can you knit while you’re on that doohicky? I was thinking that if I get some Extra work, I could take up knitting baby blankets.
And, no one asked me how the audition went. Is that too OT? Oh, I’m cracking myself up.

Yep. That’s why I gave up walking and went to the bike. I realized that without a job and without health coverage, if I blew out a knee, I’d just be screwed. Less impact peddling, as long as you can find a reasonably safe place to do it that is.

But it is what it is, and I just have to do what I can. No rushing it.

When I started getting into shape at 239 pounds, one of the first things I realized was that it’s no good getting into shape if you give yourself a stroke or a heart attack while doing it. Another thing I (finally) realized is that getting down to a size 8 again is never going to happen for me so I’m happy keeping my cardiovascular system in good shape and keeping my stamina high.

Karen,
My I suggest the book “Potatoes Not Prozac” (2007 version) by Kathleen DesMaisons. That will explain the hungries during the day and how to overcome them. There is a website http://www.radiantrecovery.com/ .

61 years old now and still wearing the same pant size I did 38 years ago. Not a member of any health club. What is important is to keep active and do a lot of walking. I still do work that many people younger than me wont do because it is too hard for them. Did a job yesterday that supposedly needed 3 people with just one helper. It is all in your mind. My wife of over 38 years is an invalid and she is getting bigger. She still looks damn good to me. If you are active and feel healthy you are in good shape.

I thought it went well. I was surprised that they gave us “sheets” with dialogue to Read, since extras are just background. The casting lady was very nice to me, said they were looking for Fresh Faces. She seemed pleased and gave me a card and asked me to call the number today at 10:45. Better than being told, we’ll call you if we need you.
So…tapping my fingers between now and then. The waiting is the hardest part, I’ve heard sung.

On the first I moved from a tiny (19′) motorhome where I didn’t walk two paces from kitchen, toilet, bed, to a house on sticks 17 steps up. Feel better already.

Fat around the middle is statistically related to type 2 diabetes.
Regular exam blood tests often miss type 2 because you fast and many type 2′s have normal morning glucose levels.

Walmart has a blood glucose test kit for $10, (I know, I know don’t patronize Wallys but but) Prick your finger on arising and again an hour or so after eating. Then give it to your friends with the tummies.

Step aerobics for me. I just cannot stay interested in equipment, or jogging – hooked on the music I guess, in a roomful of people reaching and stretching and stepping up and down and around together. That does pretty much require a club, though, and everyone’s got to set their own budget priorities. Besides, many think step too wild and crazy. So try different things, find what gets your interest enough to make a habit of. Then remember calories consumed versus calories burned. Work over time to reduce the fat, the sugar, the between meals, the late night, the overall volume of food. Calories you don’t consume is calories you don’t need to burn.

If you like the elliptical, try to train yourself not to hold on – sorta like climbing stairs without holding onto the bannister. The balancing act will definitely strengthen the core. And while you never want to overdo anything, you do want to push yourself. Sort of a mental toughness thing. Is it boring? Yup. I recommend earphones with some tunes going through them.

Further, the incorporation of weight training (especially of the large muscle groups) builds muscle mass, which burns calories much more efficiently, even at rest.

Throw away the scale. It’s not about weight so much as it is about how your clothes fit. If you have to tighten your belt, it means you’ve lost…and vice versa.

I had a great grandmother who lived to be 103 and she was also very active all of her life. Humans evolved being active and we’re designed for it. Especially our cardiovascular systems. Use it or lose it. Fair warning to people like me who weren’t paying attention.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Keep your hands close to the rails. If you feel yourself getting wobbly, they’re right there. Don’t hold on for dear life. Finger-touch. Eventually, you’ll be climbing with arms swinging.

My mother died at 66 after having at least TB, weird lung funguses (crptycocosis, histoplasmosis), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and more. One time they thought she had lung cancer but that turned out to be the cryptycocosis and she smoked up until the last year when she had to go on oxygen full time. Her younger sister died at 68 of a stoke.

My grandmother and great aunt died at 92 and 88 respectively.

the only differences in life style, diet, etc of these four women was Mom and Aunt Pat smoked and drank and Gran and Edie did neither

No, it was at morning swim. But, we get chatty after we comment on the topic, and the topic was Rachel’s coverage of the 2nd anniversary of Dr. Tiller’s death. A tough topic for so early in the day, and we were actually chatting about the webinar that afternoon and how to register, etc. and we were wondering about eCAHN, so we were mosting talking about FDL business. The newbie asked if it was an Open Thread and if so it should be made clear at the top of the post.
I held my tongue, wanting to say Oh, bite me.

I, too, have gained lots of weight. I am taking different meds for pain and all of them, side effects weight gain!
I am trying hard to lose weight but back pain prevents me from using the elliptical.
I have been eating breakfast, lots of water and walking. I also garden which I love but have to do slowly.
I’m at home and the temptation for food is never ending.
One thing I have found is yogurt, granola and craisins. Satisfies the sweet tooth and tastes good too!
And lots of salads. My lettuce is ready, it tastes great and I planted 35 tomato plants!

While I managed to increase my energy levels on the recumbant bike – reading or thinking something through for 30 min. – the elip is the key. In the beginning I managed maybe a minute, lowest resistance. At about 6 weeks, exercise seemed to be habitual: I began to look forward to it and plan my day around it.

Three years and 30 lbs later, I’m up to 30-45 min at a time, 5-7 times a week. Which requires having something to read. Or a problem to think through. To read, I need big enough print for my eyes to focus. Weight loss began to pick up when I increased resistance to 6-9, but now that my body is used to it…I seem to need to do more.

You’re a better woman than I. I don;t know that I could have held my tongue but alas! I registered for the webinar and then missed it due to work and after work errands. Oh well, it was going to be close anyway…

And didn’t somebody come along to PUAC recently and bitch because we weren’t talking about how awful (insert person/group here) was?

To some people I guess “chatty” means off the given topic at all. I don’t think many guys are able to follow multiple conversations like women can, (though there are exceptions and I’m clueless about the gender of the person demi is talking about).

My morning ritual is a diced apple (but any fruit will do) added to the oatmeal (never that instant crap), and some flaxseed. I use non-fat milk instead of water (protein). Keeps my mind (such as it is) focused for around four hours.

Karen..First of all, you talk a lot about what you can’t or aren’t doing. Be more positive about what you are doing….which is SOMETHING! Yoga is your friend. Walking, eating right, and being positive will have enormous impact on your body. Do yoga and your life will change. Good luck.

I started using the elliptical last winter. My knees couldn’t handle the treadmill any longer. My first time my calves and thighs were KILLING me after only 6 minutes. When I got off my legs were so wobbly I almost fell to the floor. After that, I simply added 1 minute to my time each time i used it. I just figured you can always do one more minute without dying. Eventually I worked my way up to about 42 minutes and a three mile workout. Once I got to that point, I started to adjust the resistance level. After bumping the resistance up a notch I would stay at that level until I could get back to 3 miles in 42 minutes consistently then move the resistance up again and start the process over.

That check must seem mighty sweet,Peg. But we miss you in the morning.

OTOH I “waste”an enormous amount of the mornings online. The motivator to get on with the day is often the weather. If it’s gonna be 90 I need to get my bike ride in early. Didn’t get out last week until after 10 and by the time I slogged up the last small hill to my house it had gotten up to 87!0

Looks like while I was getting some brekkie and tidying up my daughter’s kitchen, everyone has gone. OK, me too. Gotta do a bit of flowerpots planting and then get cleaned up for my granddaughter’d dance recital. Have a good ‘un, everyone.

Enjoy the recital, Molly.
Guess I’d better get on with my day too. I just made an omellet with the left overs from last night’s mexican dinner. Yummmmm.
And, as always, great job, KarenM, and all.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

the three things that matter are pleasure, pain and perserverance. find something that you actually enjoy doing or at least can tolerate, exert yourself but don’t hurt yourself, and then just keep doing it.

Of the three, not quitting, and making time to exercise at least three days a week is much more important than whatever you decide to do.

I suffered a serious back injury when I was around thirty, and had a high stress, long-hour job, and for too many years did no exercise except a moderate amount of walking. Several years ago I decided to try running again. The first day I walked a mile and jogged a quarter mile at a pace actually slower than the walk.

I did it on and off for three years and learned that when I ran three days a week I maintained my current fitness, when I did less than three days a week I went backwards, and if I did four or more days a week, I made progress. There’s been a lot of backwards since that first, awful quarter mile plod, because of injuries and job travel, but I ran three and a half miles yesterday, and am on my way out for another run this morning.

So find something you enjoy or at least can tolerate, push yourelf to exertion but don’t hurt yourself, and above all else when you’ve blocked out time to exercise but just don’t feel like going, do it anyway. Most exercise programs stop at 6-8 weeks, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t feel like you’re suddenly rounding into Olympic form. Just keep going.

Since I was a very fat kid I have counted calories to lose weight. Combining food awareness,keeping an eye on fat intake, making sure bowel movements are regular, and moving around a lot with toning weight-lifting works for me. Oh, and reduce sugar intake. I used to keep bottles of Passover Coke (made with real sugar) because that stuff is terrific…but now it’s diet drinks and lots of water. Good luck. It’s a freaking battle. Riding a bike in any city is one huge temptation to eat passing bakeries and steak restaurants etc.

Funny you should post this. I’m at day 22 of my getting exercise daily and getting back in shape kick. That means I’ve gone three weeks – yay.

There’s a very big hill right behind my home with several sets of concrete steps that take you up to the top. Big hill – maybe 500feet difference in elevation. That hill is my free gym membership. Yesterday was the first day I made it to the top without having to stop to rest. I just got back from today’s trip to the top (had to rest this time)

Just starting to feel healthier from this. I figure another couple of weeks of this and it becomes part of my life.

I’m almost 70, live in a town on the coast of southern Cal, so the weather most of the time is conducive to outside exercise. There are two sets of stairs in the harbor area, one of about 90 steps, the other about 118 steps. I’ve been climbing these for years, doing up to seven sets of the smaller, then seven of the larger, two steps at a time each exercise day. I do these several times a week, plus walking about four miles and fast walk climbing a very steep road each day. As a result I do not restrict my intake of any food or drink. I recently sprained my ankle walking a golf course (I carry my clubs), the result is now after a month of inactivity I’m starting over, which becomes more and more difficult as I get older. My doctors are ok with this regimen, telling me to never stop. I guess the point is if you take the time to build up your conditioning (don’t hurry) you can get to a point with extensive exercise that balances your food intake, and you’ll be able to eat and drink what you want. Just remember it won’t be easy until you reach that point. My exercise jaunt takes about two hours.

Haven’t read all the thread, but I commend the flat belly diet to you because of the special foods that attack belly fat and the great recipes and variety of exercises in the book. You can buy the book in paper back.

I participated in my medical groups Healthy Choices, Healthy Lives program for two months and lost almost 30 pounds, which I’m keeping off. The goal was 1200 cal/day, or less when you hit a plateau, you need to eat a lot of protein – lean meats or beans and high protein grains, egg white omelets, mozarella string cheese, etc. plus lots of veggies and some fruits; very low fat, but do use olive oil, some nuts, avocado, black olives, etc. – the good fats that help reduce the belly. I lost about four inches and dropped from 28 to 20-22 wide; very much want to drop another 20-30 pounds for my next weight loss goal. I’m struggling to get back onto the calorie counting regimen, shooting for 1300 cal/day. I’ve not eaten fried foods or typical desserts etc. for years. Fresh fruit or sugar free puddings are our usual desserts.

Important to “eat the rainbow” in produce variety, eat as much produce with anti-oxidants as possible. Important to get to know the integrated medicine approach to foods.

Blessings to all

We also had a free weights regimen which I didn’t do as I have serious shoulder problems – arthritis and rotator cuff tears, but now my flabby arms are worse. I did the assigned exercises in the warm pool and/or hot tub as often as I could get there. 30-40 minutes a visit and I’d pay for it for a couple of days. I’ve begun to walk, up to 12 blocks a session and then pay for it with a lot of pain and distress. Occasionally I got up to five miles in 15 minutes on a recombinant (sp?) bike. I tried to use the tread mill and it produced lots of pain in process, and not just afterwards.

I’ve several serious spinal problems that make walking and standing very hard for me, so being in the water helps a lot, but I’m doing better on land. I also usually do two yoga session a week, some seated, some on the floor, a little standing. My 3-4 year yoga teacher is very protective of my pains but also stretches me in some way a little at each session. She is a jewel and dear friend.

Way late to the thread but here’s my experiences of being greatly overnourished since 1986.

In two years I went from 180 lbs to 220 lbs. It was at age 32-34 and my metabolism slowed despite working 10-14 hours a day 7 days a week as a chef and still taking a class or two and working a 5am-9am shift M-F on local radio.

I ate too much, exercised not at all and the wine and beer begin to sit instead of getting burned off.

By ’90 I was still at 220, but by ’96 I was 240.

From ’01 to ’09 I went up and up and peaked at 310 around June of ’09.

BP, blood sugars, all went to hell n my doc told me in ’09 what I already knew . . . I needed to change.

Off and on I would work out, but stop. I’d get to 280 and climb back up, 10 lbs in a month added on was easy.

Finally I just had to cut my cals to 1600 a day with or without wine or whiskey. And work out for an hour.

See, since ’88 I’ve had this gym about 70 yards from our front door in the complex where we live. But I failed to use it regularly and despite using it sensibly (I know weight training and conditioning work from the late 70′s n early 80′s) I’d strain something, back off, and fail.

So.

In the past 12 months I maintained 1600 cals for the most part, and worked out more regularly. Down 55 lbs to 255.

Along the way, I still strained either my back or tweaked my knees, both of which are battered from old baseball injuries and blowing my back out in ’86, badly.

However, I’ve even further modified my workout routine to prevent injury.

Instead of 45 min. on treadmill/incline, I do 20 min.

I lowered weights on all the equipment I use (8 machines) and shortened my routines while speeding up my machine pace to keep my cardio up at 140 per minute . . . end result is now about 50-60 minutes with maintained high cardio for 40 minutes, not strains, and an ability to do it every day, regardless.

1600 cals a day with exercise means I can lose weight. I’ve proven that to myself.

My wife at 5’3″ and older than I has to keep her cal intake to 1200 daily, she walks at work once a day and hits the gym with me for another half hour of treadmill every day. She’s lost 10 lbs FAST but when she stops the walking/gym for a week can put on 5 lbs fast.

I anticipate that to lose the next 50 lbs over the next 6 months or so I’ll have to increase something in my workouts, but like everyone else above, first I have to develop stamina, then some muscle building (lightly), and build the endurance I need to do more without strains or injuries.

O

My feet, ankles, knees, hips n back are all feeling it daily, but my key is to lighten up weights, etc. more than I ever dreamt of, and increase cardio level for longer times than I was before.

It’s hell on some days as I just KNOW my body is telling me to take a day off. I just don’t rebound overnight, hardly at all.

I mean, it aches and hurts in my hips and feet . . so, I just start even slower on the treadmill until it all loosens up. Sometimes it takes the whole 20 minutes to loosen up on the treadmill and I only get to about 120 beats per minute. But then the machines get me up to 140 bpm and it’s usually about a half hour of that.

WHen I was young I played baseball, hiked with a 60-75# pack in The Sierra’s for weeks at a time every summer, worked two jobs in kitchens, slept on 4 hours a night when working, schooling, doing radio.

But those days are LONG gone since my early to mid 30′s.

I expect to see 200 lbs before November.

And I’m lovin it!

*G*

N that’s my story.

Now the rest of you Pups do what ya can, but take care of yerselves!

We got a long way to go before out time is done on this rock n there’s lots of adventures n challenges on this planet we need face.